Manitonquat (Medicine Story)
Encyclopedia
Manitonquat, also known as Medicine Story (born July 17, 1929), is a storyteller
and keeper of native
lore
of the Wampanoag Nation of Massachusetts
and ceremonial medicine man
of the Assonet Band. A former writer and poet for the international journal "Akwesasne Notes" and author of eleven books, he has been a part of the North American Indian Spiritual Unity Movement and co-founder of the Tribal-Healing Council. Medicine Story is a member of the Association of Humanistic Psychology
and a teacher of re-evaluation counseling
.
He has participated in many Rainbow Gathering
s. Medicine Story gave the keynote address at the United Nations
ceremonies on 50th anniversary of death of Mahatma Gandhi
.
He tours yearly in Europe and in the United States, speaking on the value of the Native American point of view. Three ideas that appear often in his talks and writing are those of mutual love and respect, meeting in circles and respect for all creation.
and events like Ecotopia gathering
.
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
and keeper of native
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
lore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
of the Wampanoag Nation of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and ceremonial medicine man
Medicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
of the Assonet Band. A former writer and poet for the international journal "Akwesasne Notes" and author of eleven books, he has been a part of the North American Indian Spiritual Unity Movement and co-founder of the Tribal-Healing Council. Medicine Story is a member of the Association of Humanistic Psychology
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
and a teacher of re-evaluation counseling
Re-evaluation Counseling
Re-evaluation Counseling or RC is an organization founded by Harvey Jackins in the 1950s and led by him until his death in 1999. It introduced a procedure called "co-counseling", which Jackins said was a new and effective method of helping people and bringing about social reform. RC teaches...
.
He has participated in many Rainbow Gathering
Rainbow Gathering
Rainbow Gatherings are temporary intentional communities, typically held in outdoor settings, and espousing and practicing ideals of peace, love, harmony, freedom and community, as a consciously expressed alternative to mainstream popular culture, consumerism, capitalism and mass media.Rainbow...
s. Medicine Story gave the keynote address at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
ceremonies on 50th anniversary of death of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
.
He tours yearly in Europe and in the United States, speaking on the value of the Native American point of view. Three ideas that appear often in his talks and writing are those of mutual love and respect, meeting in circles and respect for all creation.
Circle Way Village
His philosophy is explored through Circle Way Camps and publications. Connections have been made with other similar thinkers such as Daniel QuinnDaniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn is an American writer described as an environmentalist. He is best known for his book Ishmael , which won the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship Award in 1991....
and events like Ecotopia gathering
Ecotopia gathering
Ecotopia is an annual summer gathering for activists in Europe, since 1989. Typically, the event draws young environmental activists from both east and west Europe...
.
Books published
- Children of the Morning Light, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (April 30, 1994), ISBN 978-0027659054
- Ending Violent Crime: A vision of a society free of violence (a community building program tested and proven successful under the most adverse conditions), a report of a successful prison program, Story Stone Publishing (1996)
- Return to Creation, Bear Tribes, 1st edition (July 1991), ISBN 978-0943404202
See also
- Chief Buffalo Child Long LanceChief Buffalo Child Long LanceChief Buffalo Child Long Lance , born Sylvester Clark Long, was an American journalist, writer and actor from Winston-Salem, North Carolina who became internationally prominent as a spokesman for Indian causes...
- Forrest Carter
- Gray Owl
- NasdijjNasdijjTimothy Patrick Barrus is an American author who, under the pseudonym Nasdijj, wrote three supposed memoirs of his experiences as a Native American, which were published between 2000 and 2004....
- Ward ChurchillWard ChurchillWard LeRoy Churchill is an author and political activist. He was a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1990 to 2007. The primary focus of his work is on the historical treatment of political dissenters and Native Americans by the United States government...
External links
- Children of the Morning Light on Amazon.com
- Circle Way A webpage for storytellers
- Manitonquat speaking on the Power of Myth and Children One hour audio interview on The Art of Storytelling
- News Article published in the Salem Gazette on 12/05/08 Salem's most storied citizen
- Youtube video of Manitonquat speaking at a conference in Europe